USS Carl Vinson Back in San Diego

The USS Carl Vinson has finally made its way back to the port of San Diego after seven months on the sea, arriving on Wednesday. The warm welcome that the sailors received upon arrival was quite a scene with many cheers followed by tear jerking reunions.

The USS Carl Vinson was the carrier involved in the burial of former number one terrorist, Osama Bin Laden and the roughly 6,000 sailors of that aircraft carrier are considered heroes by the general public because of their involvement in this historic event. Rear Admiral Samuel Perez expressed his opinion on the burial mission stating, “I think that first week of May everybody was sitting there looking around very proud to have been part of that piece of history.”

On May 1st, after Bin Laden was killed in the Pakistani raid by the Navy SEALs, his body was flown to the carrier where the crew partook in his burial in the sea. The choice to bury Bin Laden in the sea came as a preventive measure from having his gravesite becoming a shrine idolized by other terrorists or followers of Bin Laden. However, the U.S. has made it clear that a proper burial with religious remarks were made in the burial process.

Although the sailors insisted that they were not allowed to disclose any information on the burial of Bin Laden, reporters at the port still attempted to learn more about the operation. One even asked, “Can you just explain why you’re not allowed to?” to which Perez replied, “Because I’m a sailor and I follow rules, and that’s what I was told to do. They told me that this was classified and that none of the details could be published or talked about.”

Despite the happy reunion that the sailors are having, they may not have much time at home as they may have to leave again before the end of this year.

Photo by xiquinhosilva via Flickr